


Pardon?

by orphan_account



Series: Manners. [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alpha John, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angry John, BAMF John, Confused Sherlock, F/M, Fluff, Innocent Sherlock, M/M, Meeting, Mentions of Mary, Omega Sherlock, Sherlock - Freeform, Sherlock Holmes - Freeform, Shy Sherlock, Sweet, heat - Freeform, lead up, meet cute, soft sherlock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 21:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14174205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sherlock gets a new flat mate and for some reason he keeps stealing his jumpers.Lead up to John and Sherlock’s first date.Part 2 Of The Manners Series.





	Pardon?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prequel to “Please.” You don’t have to read them in order, this could just be stand alone. 
> 
> For everyone asking the next part will have Sherlock finally being reunited with his beloved coat and scarf! 
> 
> Also thank you for all the lovely feedback. 
> 
> If you have any questions or requests feel free to leave a comment! 
> 
> Much love! X

Sherlock sat on the living room floor of 221b listening to the police scanner, folding his new collection of stickers that Mrs Hudson, the landlady had brought him back from her trip to the craft shop. Being an alpha with no omega Mrs Hudson found pleasure in looking after the little genius. Much like Lestrade and Molly she enjoyed the look of joy and wonder that graced Sherlock’s face when he was given anything. Even though he never said thank you or gave anything back the little scent of gratitude that radiated from him was enough for them. 

He was just putting the last blue sticker in its proper box when he smelt a faint musk that hadn’t been there moments before. Alpha, Mrs Hudson never invited Alphas over without telling Sherlock first so when he noticed the scent of gunpowder, oak, tea and flowers float up his nose he stood up quickly and turned to the door. Just as Mrs Hudson walked in talking to someone behind her. 

“Ah Sherlock dear, I found you a flatmate!” She cheered clapping her hands together. Sherlock stared at her for a moment before tilting his head. “I never requested a flatmate Mrs Hudson. so why would you think I would wish for such a thing?” 

“I hear you’re a little sloppy with the rent.” A gentle voice came, as the alpha stepped into the room all Sherlock’s senses heightened and he found himself intrigued by the taller man. 

“Afghanistan or Iraq?” Sherlock said quietly still staring at the man; Who just chuckled and scrunched his nose. 

“Pardon?”

“Afghanistan or Iraq? You were in the army, injured so forced leave. No smell of death.. so you were a doctor. Ooh still are a doctor and you have a beta sister who is trying out a relationship with an alpha ooooooh you don’t like the alpha! Well that’s typical Alphas don’t like Alphas around their loved ones but anyway! That’s besides the point because oooh ohhh! she’s not a beta is she! She’s using scent repellent to cover for the fact she’s an omega! You’re currently living in a small flat that’s more like a room than a flat and you’ve never had a mate and you aren’t looking which is a sensible thing! You met Mrs Hudson in the park where she was talking about the flowers again and you helped her pick some of the Lily’s she enjoys so much! She then told you all about me and how I was behind by two months on rent but she couldn’t throw me out because she sees me as a son. You were hesitant to share a flat with an omega but now you’ve met me and now you’ve realised I’m not mating material you’re happy to stay.” Sherlock kept his eyes locked with the Alphas as he spoke loudly and clearly unaware of the little red sticker stuck just above his right eyebrow. 

John tilted his head with a surprised look. “Afghanistan. That was brilliant.” He laughed his stance relaxing a little while mrs Hudson rolled her eyes. “Sherlock we’ve talked about this.” 

“The alpha will take the room mrs Hudson now if you don’t mind I have work to do.” With that Sherlock scurried off to the kitchen to get the toes out of the microwave. Molly had been ever so helpful in offering him body parts lately, he knew it was her way of showing she would do anything for the little omega and her intention of wanting to mate him but Sherlock had shown no interest what so ever. 

It was three days later that Sherlock Met the alpha again, he was moving boxes up into his room. Sherlock had been asleep on the sofa for god knows how long and the sound of John dropping a box made him startle awake. Scurrying to the kitchen to make sure none of his experiments had been compromised he sighed seeing John had just dropped a box of kitchen utensils. 

“Sherlock is that a human hand in the bread maker?” John asked looking a little put out. Sherlock shrugged and quickly hurried over to his Petri dishes grinning and going off on a tangent to himself about the different fibres and what they meant. 

“It’s the brother!” He shouted jumping up from his seat quickly. Making John who had been sat opposite him listening to him ramble on for the past half an hour, jump.

“Phone!” Sherlock held out his hand to John expectantly. “What?” “Phone I need to tell Lestrade to bring in the brother.” John was still none the wiser and just handed him his phone. Sherlock typed frantically for a few minutes before handing him back his phone.

“Coming?” 

“Where?”

“St Barts, Mollys waiting for me to pick up some fingers.”

“Fingers.”

“That’s what I said.” 

With that Sherlock was wrapping his scarf around his neck and slipping on his coat. 

“Uh Sherlock..”

“Please John I hate to repeat myself if you’re going to live here I refuse to have to keep feeding your seemingly awful hearing.” 

“I was just going to tell you that you’re still in your pyjamas.” 

With pink cheeks Sherlock hurried into his room changing into one of his suits. Wearing his favourite purple shirt underneath the expensive blazer. Meeting John once again in the living room The taller man held out his shoes, “probably want these to love.” 

‘Love’ the moment the simple word left Johns lips Sherlock turned into jelly his still bright cheeks glowing red and his stomach doing flips. Quickly clearing his throat and recovering from the momentary laps in stature Sherlock took his shoes and glared up at John. 

“My name is sherlock, Please use it. I find pet names very exasperating..”

“Of course Sherlock. Would you like to leave now Sherlock? We’ve been meaning to leave for over twenty minutes now Sherlock.” A smirk was evident on Johns lips as he watched Sherlock slip on his shoes. 

John continued to tease Sherlock all day, every sentence John aimed at the omega ended in his name. Most people would find it annoying but Sherlock seemed to beam and let out a little giggle every time he did it, earning an even bigger smile from the alpha. 

They slipped into a cafe just off Baker Street for a snack on the way home, it was late now. Around 1am, John could see the exhaustion on the omegas face and smiled gently, knowing he should speak in hushed tones and keep big movements to a minimum so he didn’t startle the tired boy. 

Alphas were known to be careless a lot of the time, especially with sleepy omegas. When an omega is tired they can drop off in a split second yet if an alpha even laughs loudly in their proximity the omega is suddenly awake and unable to sleep again. Part of the biology that John had come to hate while he was in Afghanistan the poor omega nurses and doctors he shared the compound with would go days without sleep after a late night drill or an injured alpha who was in so much pain he couldn’t care any less about some omegas sleeping pattern.

Sherlock was talking about the case he had just solved explaining to John, how he knew that it was a suicide from the get go but he needed to know who the man who was taking photographs of the woman’s house was. 

“Lestrade won’t let me have another case for a week now because I didn’t tell him right away.” Sherlock pouted the wrinkle appearing at the top of his nose. A yawn coming from his lips a few moments later. 

“Maybe it’s for the best love, let you get some rest and I can tell your heat will be here in a few days so Ill be going to stay with my sister for a few days. Get out of your hair.” 

Sherlock was to sleepy to protest the pet name and then suddenly to concerned with the fact that John could tell when his next heat would be. Standing abruptly Sherlock grabbed his scarf from the table nearly knocking his half empty mug of tea flying. 

“I’m going home! sleepy! Night Alp- night John.” Sherlock ducked his head and was out the door leaving John Just a little confused.

Arriving home Sherlock set about clearing up his experiments, putting off his exhaustion wanting to keep his mind away from the heat fuelled dreams he was sure to endure. He needed to find something to occupy his brain.. maybe he could call Molly and ask for her key card and go to barts? Maybe get a chance to check over the fungus that was growing on the bottom of the Morgue fridge again.. actually maybe not Mollys superiors hadn’t been to happy about that the last time.. 

Bored. 

Bored bored bored. 

Sherlock had pulled on his blue silk dressing gown over the top of his suit feeling homely in the soft material, slumping down in his chair he huffed. He only then noticed the new admission of an arm chair in front of his, a small table next to it with a cold cup of coffee and a day old paper sat on the top. Tilting his head Sherlock noticed a woollen material poking out from the arm of the chair. 

Sitting up on his knees he reached for the fabric a small smile gracing his lips as he touched it his whole body went warm as if he was glowing. Slowly he pulled the fabric into his arms holding it to his chest pressing his nose to the collar of- what he could now see was- a cream jumper that was far to big to be his own. Inhaling a deep breath of the wonderful scent he melted back into his chair, holding it tightly to himself closing his eyes. 

Sherlock hadn’t even realised he was slipping off to sleep before he was in a deep John filled dream. 

John had come home at around 3am after popping over to check on Harry after her alpha called to tell him she had been drinking again and cut her head. Harry started drinking when she got with Clara and John blamed it on the fact that Clara wouldn’t bond her. 

So slipping into the flat John hung up his coat and went to the kitchen to make himself a glass of water before heading off to bed. He didn’t make it to the kitchen, he had stopped in the doorway of the sitting room his eyes falling on the sleeping omega in the sitting chair. 

John had to chuckle to himself fondly when he saw Sherlock was curled around his favourite jumper. Grabbing a blanket from the sofa he carefully covered over the little omega patting his head gently. John stood watching him breath for a few minutes before he decided he best be off to bed if he was going to make his date with Mary the next day. 

Mary was a beta that John had been friends with since working at the clinic, she was a receptionist and had asked him out for dinner once or twice but things had gotten in the way. This time he had to make sure nothing got in the way of his dinner. 

Sherlock woke up early the next morning and frowned when he noticed the blanket that had been draped over his sleeping frame. Standing up he kept a tight grip on the jumper it reminded him of the way he felt when he would curl up in his mother’s bed when he was younger. It made him feel safe and comfortable. 

When he ran to his room to get dressed for the day he lay the jumper on his bed ready for later. Slipping on a pair of tight black jeans and a dark blue v neck Sherlock headed to the living room in search of his phone. Lestrade had pulled him from the cases but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help Molly identify cause of death. 

“Morning John.” Sherlock mumbled frowning down at his phone his fingers typing a thousand letters a second. John was stood in the door way with a paper under his arm. He had woken up an hour or so before the little omega and had headed out the get some breakfast for them both. 

“Good morning Sherlock, I brought pastry’s are you hungry?” He asked stepping into the kitchen finding a tiny space at the kitchen table to set the bag down without it touching anything. 

Sherlock wasn’t listening he groaned loudly in frustration and flopped down in his chair. “Lestrade has taken away my morgue access! I’m not allowed to the crime scenes I can’t help Molly what am I supposed to do!” 

“Eat breakfast and have a quiet day watching tv or reading?” John suggested handing Sherlock a mug of tea and a plate with some pastry’s on, “dont be dull John, I couldn’t think of anything more boring than the possibility of sitting around doing nothing all day.” 

John just rolled his eyes at the dramatic little omega and sat in his chair to read his paper. Sherlock scanned him over, “you have a date.” He frowned, his eyes narrowing and his back straightening. 

John hummed ignoring him in favour of the sports section. “She’s a beta ah and you know her from work. Won’t work she’s dangerous, you’ll get heartbroken.” Sherlock was picking apart his pastry and listing off deductions about the women he had never met. 

“If you don’t mind Sherlock my private life is mine so if you could keep your nose out it would be much appreciated.” John snapped, the alpha in him growling at the detective. 

Sherlock curled in on himself. Placing the plate down he quietly went to the kitchen to check on some experiments he had marinating in Petri dishes. After a while he stood up noticing John had gone out. A small pang of something ran through his chest making him whimper a little. Pouting Sherlock went to the door and slipped on his coat. 

It took Sherlock all of three hours to get arrested. Mainly because trying to break into Scotland yards evidence locker with no pass is against the law but also because Lestrade wanted to make an example. 

Sherlock was sat in a holding cell with an angry looking alpha, waiting to be charged and moved to his own cell. Idiots idiots the lot of them, Sherlock was two days away from his heat and they locked him up with a huge alpha with no personal hygiene skills. 

“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this huh?” The alpha smirked he had been inching closer and closer to Sherlock since the moment he was shoved in the cell. 

“Oh go away, the stench is awful.” Sherlock knew the second the words left his mouth that they were very not good. The alpha had his hand around his throat in seconds and his other hand ripping at Sherlock’s clothes. 

Unable to breath Sherlock’s little hands clawed at the Alphas huge one, that was currently wrapped around his wind pipe. The door to the cell swung open and there were suddenly more Alphas in the room than Sherlock thought he could deal with. His breathing getting more erratic by the second as the man who was just on top of him was being held on the floor. 

A gentle hand on his face was what snapped him back to reality jumping away from the contact he stared at the owner of the hand. John, john who looked worried and scared and angry and annoyed and very very pissed off. Ignoring the deductions Sherlock dived at him barely giving John chance to steady himself. 

“Okay omega it’s okay.” John soothed gently rubbing Sherlock’s back as he clung to him. “Let’s get you home.” Ignoring the shouts of the other Alphas in the cell block John carried The still shaking Sherlock out to the desk where he flashed his army badge and demanded Lestrade be informed of what happened.

 

By the time they got home that evening It was already 9pm and Sherlock knew he messed up. Big time. Again.

“Sherlock why don’t you go and shower and I’ll order us take out.” John asked quietly watching him stand staring into space. Snapping out of his head Sherlock nodded and scurried off to his room. After a quick shower and a change into his pyjamas and dressing gown Sherlock appeared in the living room looking at John as he unpacked the Chinese food. 

“How did you know where I was. It couldn’t have been Lestrade because he would have called mycroft and my next of kin on my paperwork is my mother.” Sherlock fiddled with his hands. “I also got arrested at lunch time meaning you were supposed to be on your date... “ 

“Mrs Hudson got a phone call from Molly who saw you being carted away while she was visiting Lestrade. Mrs Hudson called me frantically about you being arrested again but with you this close to your heat it’s dangerous for you to be out the house without an alpha Sherlock.” 

Sherlock was confused he was used to being shouted at when he ruined plans or when he got in trouble but John was just being quiet and making him dinner. 

“And as for Mary she understood and we have arranged to finish our lunch another day.” 

Sherlock stayed stood in front of him waiting for him to tell him off or shout still. But it never came. 

“Are you going to sit down? I’m starving and i know you haven’t eaten all day.” John glanced up at him before leaving back on the sofa with his food. 

Sherlock rounded the table and sat next to him his legs crossed underneath him, even though it was just a couple of inches John felt huge next to him. It made him feel small, all his life he hated being smaller than his brother and the other Alphas he worked with but he was glad John was bigger. It made him feel warm and safe. 

“Eat up love you’ll need the energy for the next few days.” John watched Sherlock pick at his food. “How are you feeling? It must have been scary today..” John spoke quietly his hand resting between them his pinky finger gently rubbing the fabric of Sherlock’s pyjamas. 

“I’m fine. It’s not something I haven’t encountered before. Im afraid it may have jump started my heat so should I wake in the night I will text you and give you ample time to leave.” 

John just nodded his head watching Sherlock eat. 

It was a day later, John was getting ready to go shopping when Sherlock started crying out from his room. John had bolted toward the kitchen at first before forcing himself to stop as the scent of Sherlock in heat hit him. A sweet yet fresh smell hit his nose, “John! Y-you n—need — AHH — need to g-go” Sherlock shouted.

John clenched his fists and shook his head. His eyes squeezed closed as he stood up straight and marched toward the door noticing his scarf and blue fleece were missing. So without any protection from the wind or bitter cold John practically ran from the flat. Giving Mrs Hudson the heads up on his way out.

He spent the next half an hour sat on the bench at the end of the street calling every alpha they knew informing them Sherlock wouldn’t be working or in contact for a few days. 

It was another five days later that John got bombarded with texts while he was brushing his teeth in Clara’s sink. 

“You can come home now -SH”

“John?-SH”

“Are you coming home? -SH”

“John.-SH”

“John.-SH”

“John this is becoming tedious.-SH”

With a chuckle John rolled his eyes and sent back a quick; 

“I’ll be back in a few hours get some rest, I’ll bring lunch.”

That’s what Sherlock did, he stayed in his bed surrounded by mostly Johns clothes. Before he had text John he had showered and put on fresh clothes his arms and legs scratched and slightly bruised from the past few days of Sherlock tugging at his skin trying to stop the burning. 

When John got home the first thing he noticed was the mugs of tea and biscuits that were scattered around the door to the flat. He chuckled and thought about Mrs Hudson fussing around. Being to old now to act upon any of her alpha instincts around an omega in heat. 

The second thing he noticed was that Sherlock hadn’t left his room since his heat had ended. John could smell soap and a musky smell of the omegas heat but it was fading. Setting the take out down on the coffee table along side his keys John took off his coat hanging it up on the hook. 

“Sherlock I’m home!” John called not wanting to get to close to the omegas room; even if his heat was over the scent in that room would be to much for him to stand. So he stayed in the living room, he had turned to get the take out trays out of the bag when he felt a small thud against his back and delicate arms wrap around his waist. Sherlock nuzzled his cheek into the back of Johns jumper humming with his eyes closed. 

Sherlock’s hands were gripping tightly at the Alphas stomach. “I missed you.” John was sure he was hearing things. But the little whine that followed told him otherwise, “I missed you to love, how are you feeling?” 

Turning in the little omegas arms John looked down at the top of his head that was now pressed to the centre of his collar bones. He could smell the vanilla shampoo strongly and smiled wrapping his arms around sherlock rubbing his back. 

“I’m fine, I just ache. Which is to be expected. did you buy cinnamon rolls?” with that the little bubble they seemed to be in popped and Sherlock pulled away shifting through the bags. 

With a chuckle John sat with him and chatted to him about Mary and how their date had gone horribly. John swore off dating and decided to be single forever, that stung Sherlock’s heart for just a second and he had no idea why. 

“I’ll just stick with you love, until we retire and go live in the country somewhere. Keep sheep or something.” John laughed wiping his mouth on a napkin. 

“Bees.” Sherlock said quietly, once again picking at his food. 

“Bees?”

“I’d like to retire and keep bees. They fascinate me, they’re so beautiful and interesting.”

“Then we will keep bees.”

“In Sussex.”

“In Sussex.”

“Together?”

“Mm maybe.”

With that Sherlock stood up and looked at Johns jumper strangely. “Can I have that?” Tilting his head John watched him curiously. 

“You want my jumper?”

“Yes it smells nice. I’ve taken a few but this one you’ve warn a few days it smells very nice I’d like to sleep with it.” Sherlock explained bored, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Sherlock have you made a nest?” John’s mouth was quirking up at the sides.

“John why’s your face doing that.. I don’t understand.. am I not supposed to nest while an Alphas in the house?” He looked genuinely confused. Mrs Hudson has never had an issue with him nesting. 

“No no love it’s perfectly lovely, you’re making a nest made of my clothes?” John was beaming now as he watched the confusion swimming in Sherlock’s eyes.

Sherlock felt nervous now, he never got nervous around John.. “yes it smells good i sleep for hours wrapped up in them.. I-is that bad.. do you need them back?” 

John stood up carefully and stepped toward the little blushing omega. Taking Sherlock’s hand he slipped off his jumper and lay it on Sherlock’s arm. John stood in his blue shirt watching as the omega quickly pull it up to his cheek scenting it. 

“Sherlock would you like to go out to dinner with me?” 

“We Just had lunch John, how on Earth are you hungry again?” 

“Okay I’ll rephrase that, Sherlock love would you like to go on a date with me?” 

“Oh”

“Oh?”

“Me?”

“Yes”

“On a date.. with you?”

Sherlock’s cheeks were burning red, his ears the same. A fire had lit in his chest much different from the burning sensation he had been trying to get rid of the past week.

“Yes Sherlock a date with me, you’ve made a nest of my clothes for God’s sake. That’s what omegas do when they want to please their Alphas, show them they see them as suitable mates.” John was practically beaming. 

“Okay then” he whispered the blush not fading. “I’m tired, I’m going to sleep for a while.” Sherlock quickly pulled away from John and ran to his room slamming the door. leaving John stood grinning to himself like an idiot.


End file.
